Jared Seitzer

Purchase, inventory and maintain 400-bottle Wine Spectator 'Best of Award of Excellence' list. Taste wines/spirits and make purchasing decisions based on quality, pricing, and supply. Negotiate pricing and selection with wholesale representatives, brokers, and direct wineries. Analyze budget and control all restaurant beverage pricing, focusing on profitability and COG percentage.

"My wine studies started in college at the Culinary Institute of America. After graduating with a Bachelors in Hospitality Management, my wine pursuits took me to Napa, were I stained my hands red through five vintages in wine production.

Next, I moved to San Diego to pull corks as the sommelier at the Hotel Del Coronado. A few years later I opened the Ivy Hotel in San Diego as the Wine Director in the downtown Gaslamp District. With the economic downturn, my wife and I moved to Marlborough, New Zealand for a vintage and then to Australia as a sommelier in Melbourne’s Southbank restaurant row.

Since returning to Napa, I have been at Bounty Hunter Rare Wines and Spirits, initially as a Senior Wine Scout. At the beginning of 2016 I transitioned to the On-Premises Wine Director for our restaurant operations. My focus for our beverage program is simply sourcing great wines and spirits for our cuisine, and offering the best international and domestic labels around. Our list currently offers 450ish bottles with 40 wines by the glass."

Judges

Meet our 2018 Judges

Wine Manager at HEB Central Market, TX, USA

Greg has over 20 years’ experience in the wine industry, both in hospitality and retail. He has been a Wine and Beer manager for Central Market for 7 years, where he is responsible for a 1700 bottle selection.